I found some cool software that will allow remote connections to other computers that's extremely easy to use - you simply launch an executable (no install of software required), exchange security credentials and you're in, connected to their desktop as if you were there. I've used other remote software before, but the ones I've dealt with (gotomypc, radmin, etc) have, at the very least, some setup and firewall/router configuration issues. So, this is great even for the absolute computer novice.

We used TeamViewer at work for awhile, have now switched to Mikogo and CrossLoop.This is for support outside of our network where we use UltraVNC.Mikogo also has a MAC version, http://mikogo.comhttp://www.crossloop.com/

TeamViewer is free and they also have a paid version. If you use it too much they send you a nasty note telling you that you are using the product for commercial use and they ban you from using it anymore. Not sure how they know but doesn't work on my computer anymore. We were just evaluating it for our company and didn't really abuse it as we only used it to support 6 Windows 7 machines.

Anyway, there is lots of good remote support software out there these days.

Chuck Engels wrote:If you use it too much they send you a nasty note telling you that you are using the product for commercial use and they ban you from using it anymore. Not sure how they know but doesn't work on my computer anymore.

another good one is LogMeIn (www.logmein.com)...you do have to have the person you are going to connect to run a program which then runs at startup. You can disable it if you want and reeanble when you want someone to connect to but since you still have to have a password I keep enabled.My parents and kids use it and I can easily connect to their system and help them with issues. They don't even have to be at their computer. I use it a lot to connect to my home computer while I'm at work. One other nice thing is that I can connect to my daughters Apple MacBook pro.The paid version allows you to send files and I think pass sound but the Free version is amazing.If I have to transfer files I use skype.p.s. if you try make sure to download the free version....they are a litle sneaky about in the process of choosing which version switching you to a paid version, although you can tell it you want the free version without uninstalling.

I have a few friends that use logmein and have purchased the paid version and love it.All of the software above require two people to access the machines, if you want something that doesn't require two people you can go with UltraVNC.

With VNC you have a service running on the machine you want to connect to and a password set in the configuration.Then you just access the server part from a client on another machine, pretty simple. I just set this up a few weeks ago for testing but disabled it after I successfully connected. It is not very secure, even with the password, if you are on a wireless network which I am. Beside that you have to configure the wireless security to let the VNC access through to the computer on the network that you have the Service running on, that is where the security issues come in. It did work great however and we use VNC (there are a few different brands, like UltraVNC and others) at work for remote support on all of our XP machines. It is supposed to work with Windows 7 but we have not found a configuration yet that actually does work, still in the process of trying to figure that out. That is why we are using some of these others in the meantime.

Thought I had posted a thank you TJ, TightVNC works great, I am a hero in I.T. for coming up with a solution.Of course I gave you and Muvipix the credit I really appreciate the help, this forum is simply amazing !!